Its not just SUVs in western Europe, EU crash regulations for cars hitting pedestrians have forced cars to be higher and taller at the front. Unless the seating position also rises then you lose visibility of the very front of the car. If the seating position has to rise then so does the roof and this often means the floor rises too.

Sure, these ridiculous American trucks are far far worse, and SUVs are just generally bad, but its normal cars as well.